


Colors

by blondeblackwidow



Series: Redemption [1]
Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-25
Updated: 2016-07-25
Packaged: 2018-07-26 15:23:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7579294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blondeblackwidow/pseuds/blondeblackwidow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kent Parson and Jack Zimmermann knew that the draft was coming, whether they wanted it to or not. However, they didn't realize the sheer amount of pressure that would be put on both of them. As Jack and Kent both crack under the pressure that everyone has placed on them, it doesn't take long for the one thing that they both held dear to come toppling down: their relationship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Colors

“You’re only happy when your sorry head is filled with dope. I hope you make it to the day you’re 28 years old. You’re dripping like a saturated sunrise. You’re spilling like an overflowing sink. You’re ripped at every edge but you’re a masterpiece. And now I’m tearing through the pages and the ink.”

Kent and Jack were thick as thieves. They were captain and alternate captain for the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, the best of friends, and every now and again more than friends. At least Kent thought so. They were at a party hosted by one of the alums of the QMJHL, Kent couldn’t remember who and he didn’t really care to remember. They were there for two reasons: to celebrate the successes and journey of the past season, and to get really drunk. The music was pounding, the booze was flowing, and everyone was having fun. 

Well, everyone except Jack. He was probably griping over the fact that the draft was tomorrow. It was the talk among everyone, who would go first? Would it be Parse or Zimmermann? All the talk was stressing Kent out enough, he wondered just how badly Jack was feeling it. He looked over at Jack on the couch and grabbed an extra red cup, filling it from the keg. Jack just needed to relax. He’d relax with some beer in his belly, Kent affirmed to himself. No one needed to remind either of them that the draft was tomorrow. It was the last night they would probably spend together. Bad Bob would help Jack move out to wherever he would be playing immediately. Kent would fly out to whatever team drafted him and find a place in their city. They would probably not see each other until they played against each other. He shook his head and decided to take a swig of his beer. It was shit but hell, it would do in this situation. Whatever made him forget.

“Here, Zimms. Take a sip of this and have some fun for once,” Kent teased. “It’s almost like you don’t want to be here.” He waited until Jack took a sip. “Lighten up, man. Tomorrow’s draft day but it’s not like it’s the end of the goddamn world. We’ll still be friends, no matter what team we’re on and you’ll still be Jack Fuckin’ Zimmermann, Hockey’s Golden Boy. Let’s have some fun tonight! Who knows when we’ll all be in the same place again!” Kent stood up, gesturing to the festivities around him. He noticed Jack crack a smile. 

“C’mon Jack. I think people want us to do kegstands together.” Jack smiled a bit and got up, slightly stumbling.  
“One beer in and you’re already stumbling? Zimms! You lightweight!”

“Shut up, Parse. You know I can drink you under the table, tiny man.”

The last comment made Kent’s blood boil. He HATED being called tiny, or small, or anything related to his height. He WAS NOT small. Being five foot, ten inches was not small. He just lived among men routinely above six feet. That was it. He was going to go shot for shot with Jack. “Tiny your ass, Zimms. Let’s go shot for shot. I can outdrink you! I know I can!”

Jack laughed at him. “You’re on.”

They were about four drinks in when Jack pulled him back on the couch to take a picture with him. Red cups were in their hands and he winked at Jack who was surprisingly winking back at him. Parse made a peace sign and everyone was laughing that the guy who wanted to fight all the time was suddenly advocating for peace. He felt invincible in a way, absolutely punch drunk that it was Zimms sitting by his side with his arm around his own waist, holding him close. He wished he could capture that moment forever, feeling and all, so before Zimms had a chance to walk away or shy out, he snapped the picture. Somebody decided to lean in and ask the two of them about the draft.

“No. Don’t talk and ruin a perfectly good time with that shit.” Kent looked over at Jack who visibly saddened at the mention of the draft. He vowed for the rest of the night to be Jack’s main line of defense in that subject. Zimms was looking stressed and he did not want to see him suffer a panic attack here. Without another word, Kent got up and walked over to the next room, Jack stumbling closely behind, waiting to see when a beer pong table would be free. It was a Parson-Zimmermann tradition to utterly destroy the rest of the league at any drinking game. Parse saw it as a display to everyone that the Zimmermann-Parson link didn’t just end when they got off the ice. They were just as synchronous off ice as they were on.

There were only two cups left and they were on their sixth game of the night. Both of them were considerably drunk and almost everyone wanted to play one last time against the duo. Kent knew exactly what to do, he bounced the ball low as Jack went high, the two sinking in at exactly the same time. There were cheers all over the place, everyone was going wild. Someone around the huddle shouted in joy. “OH MY GRETZKY! IT’S THE OFF ICE ZIMMERMANN-PARSON NO-LOOK ONE-TIMER!!!!” This resulted in even louder cheers of celebration from the crowd. Parse looked over at Jack and embraced him in a huge bear hug. Everyone started chanting “PARSON! ZIMMERMANN! PARSON! ZIMMERMANN!” Kent had a huge smile on his face and Zimms in his arms. If only everyone knew it was to get Jack to stop shaking. 

“Get me out of here.” Jack whispered into Kent’s ear. Looking down at his Rolex, he saw the time was 1:57 AM. He had booked a car to pick them up at 2 AM earlier that day. 

“Hey. Jack. Hold on. I’m going to get you out of here. We’ll go outside and wait for the car. How’s that sound?”

Jack just furiously nodded his head. “I can’t stay here any longer. I’m too nervous about tomorrow.”

Kent broke away from the hug and addressed the crowd around him. “As your fellow captains for the last season, Zimmermann and I just wanted to say how great of a pleasure it was spending it with you guys! We had some good moments. We had some bad moments. But most of all, we had these moments!” There was a loud whoop noise.

“Just because Zimmermann and I are headed to the draft tomorrow and have to turn in early doesn’t mean this party has to die just yet! Good luck next season and we promise we won’t forget you if either of our teams brings home Lord Stanley!”

Kent left the party to cheers of “PARSE! PARSE! PARSE!”. Hopefully, it wouldn’t be the last time a group of people did that.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! This work was inspired by ["Focus" by Yubell22](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7153991/chapters/16242266) as well as countless readings and re-readings of [Check Please!](http://omgcheckplease.tumblr.com/post/57705111693) by Ngozi Ukazu. Thanks for reading!
> 
> The song referenced in the first paragraph is ["Colors"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGulAZnnTKA) by Halsey.


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